This woman was raising a huge fuss at a supermarket check out counter because the bagger was suffering from an intellectual disability. What the bagger said to her surprised everyone.
(I’m at my regular grocery store at the checkout. The bagger is a sweet man with a intellectual disability, who is carefully bagging my items.)
Bagger: “You want this one?”
(He holds up one of my canvas bags, which I see has a hole in it.)
Me: “No, use another. Thanks.”
Woman behind me: “God! Hurry it up!”
Me: “I just finished paying. He’s fine.”
Woman behind me: “Oh, so you’re slow like him too? God all you special people need to stop interfering with normal people.”
Bagger: *looks offended* “Ma’am, she’s not not-smart. She goes to [University].” *points to my university logo on my sweatpants* “She’s real smart.”
Me: “And he’s the best bagger here! He’s very careful, ma’am, which is a good thing with groceries.”
(My bags are done. Since he knows I walk back to my dorm, the bagger just hands them to me and helps me shoulder them.)
Woman behind me: “God, he won’t even help you take them to your car? What a delinquent. I want to see a manager about this!”
Me: “I walk, lady. You want to call a manager over something I have intentionally asked him to do many times?”
Bagger: *to me* “Have a nice day!”
Woman behind me: “Retard.”
(The cashier, who hasn’t said a word through the whole thing, looks at the woman calmly.)
Cashier: “Refusal of service for massive discrimination towards a valued employee, as well as a regular customer. You may leave your items here; we’ll shelve them later. Please leave.”
(She instead decides to cause a massive disturbance, eventually breaking a shelf, and needing to be physically restrained while the bagger leads me and another customer behind the cigarette counter for our safety. We have to wait for a cop to come.)
Bagger: “Still… coming next week?” *he looks worried*
Me: “Yep.”
(His smile made me really happy for the rest of the day.)
Share this story if you believe the cashier did the right thing by telling the nasty woman to leave the store.
